In December 2013, Rights International Spain and the Institut de Drets Humans of Catalunya sent a communication to the UN Special Rapporteurs on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and on the promotion and protection of the right of freedom of opinion and expression. In the joint letter, we drew attention to the Citizen Security draft bill approved by the Council of Ministers as an unnecessary and disproportionate way to restrict the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

On June 10, 2014, Maina Kiai, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of assembly, published his report "Observations on communications transmitted to Governments and replies received." Regarding the situation in Spain, the Rapporteur "refutes the arguments put forward by the Government that the draft Criminal Code and the draft Organic Law on the Protection of Citizen Security reinforce the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. Conversely, the Special Rapporteur considers that the draft laws examined point to a violation of the very essence of the right to protest by criminalizing a wide range of actions inherent in the exercise of this fundamental right, originating an important limitation on the exercise of such right. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to fully assume the commitment to ensure the full enjoyment of this fundamental right and to consider an overhaul of both bills in light of the various criticisms received by civil society.”

Find the UN Special Rapporteur's report here.